Improvement in chimney-flue cleaners



J. GRIMES.

CHIMNEY FLUE-CLEANER.

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N PETERS. PHOTO-LITHOGRAPMER. WASHINGTON. D C.

UNITED STATES PATENT QFrroiE.

JAMES GRIMES, OF PORTSMOUTH, OHIO.

IMPROVEMENT IN CHlMNEY-FLUE CLEANERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 181,672, dated August 29, 1876; application filed April 4, 1876.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES GRIMEs, of Portsmouth, in the county of Scioto and State of Ohio, have invented a new and Improved Chimney-Gleaner, of which the following is a specification:

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 represents a front view of my-improved device for cleaning chimneys, shown as applied. Fig. 2 is a side view of the same, partly in section, and Fig. 3 is a section of a soot-box for Stovepipe chimneys.

Similar letters of reference indicate corre' sponding parts.

My invention relates to an improved device for cleaning chimneys, either from thefireplace upward, when such are arranged in the house, or from the top of the chimney downward, when the same is made with stove-pipe holes.

The invention consists of spring-acted wing sections of the cleaner-brushes, which are locked to the stem until the same is carried up in the chimney by means of jointed links. Thewings are released by a cord running down along the stem.

In the drawing, A represents the chimney; B, the swinging and spring-acted win s of the cleaner-brush, which are applied at each side of the uppermost link D of the cleaner. A roller, 0, at the upper end of the link D, allows the ready running up of the same when introduced into the chimney. The wings B of thecleanenbrnsh are connected, by crossstrings E and a small ring, a, to a sliding and spring-acted pin, Z), whose eye rests on the projection Z) of the stem of link D and connects with a cord, E, that runs downward along the lower links I) to the fire-place. The upper link I), with the wings, is first introduced into the chimney from the fire-place andrun up the'flue. The next link, D, is then jointed, by a pivot-pin and stiffening-spring, to the stem of the upper link, and the cleaner pushed up again. The next link is thenjointed, and so on, link by link attached, until the top of the chimney is reached. The string is then pulled, so that the small pin at the uppermost link releases the wing-retaining cord, and admits the spreading open of the Wings. The cleaner is then pulled down again and'shortened, joint by joint, until the brush is brought down. The soot is collected in a box, F, with hinged side sections or Wings, that are cushionedby broom-corn or other elastic material to suit all sizes of chimneys. The soot-box is placedback of the fire-board, so that no dust or soot escapes during the introducing and withdrawing of the cleaner. The fire-board has an apron to admit of the inserting and pulling out of the links of the cleaner-stein. When the chimney has no fire-place, but only stove-pipe holes, it is necessary to go to the top of the building and introduce the cleaner in downward direction in nearly the same manner as before described. The wings may be left open when passing the cleaner down joint by joint, until the bottom is reached. The cleaner is then pulled up, and joint by joint removed, until the brush comes to the top. The soot is taken out with a scraper and collected in a box attached at the outside of chimney, the box being made with short pipesvctions that enter the stove-pipe holes and suit any size of stove-pipe, as shown in Fig. 3.

This cleaner may be readily-applied to chimneys, and is of special advantage in all places where no regular sweep is available.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent I 1. A chimney-sweeper made of sectional links jointed together, and provided with swinging and spring-acted wing-brushes at the upper link or stem, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination of the swinging and spring-acted brush-sections locked by a cord and pin, with a releasing-cord running down along the cleaner to admit opening of cleanerbrush when required, substantially as set forth.

JAMES GRIMES. Witnesses:

THOMAS SMITH, J. B. GRIMEs. 

